Growing fodder for chickens

[JenEric Farms]

I checked prices when I bought feed yesterday (at Paris Farmer's Union, just a couple miles from me). Seemed reasonable from what I've been reading here.

50# bag of Wheat for $14.86
50# bag of Oat for $13.02
50# bag of Organic Barley (the only kind they can get) for $23.25

I wound up in a 30 minute discussion with the cashier, she wanted to know what I wanted the wheat/barley/oats for. I told her I wanted it for fodder and she started laughing, she just started doing this a few weeks ago. She was awesome! She said she's having great luck with the oats, so I may start with that since it's the cheapest.

 

[sonew123]

I checked prices when I bought feed yesterday (at Paris Farmer's Union, just a couple miles from me).  Seemed reasonable from what I've been reading here. 

50# bag of Wheat for $14.86
50# bag of Oat for $13.02
50# bag of Organic Barley (the only kind they can get) for $23.25

I wound up in a 30 minute discussion with the cashier, she wanted to know what I wanted the wheat/barley/oats for.  I told her I wanted it for fodder and she started laughing, she just started doing this a few weeks ago.  She was awesome!  She said she's having great luck with the oats, so I may start with that since it's the cheapest.

And when you DO come to my house in June...youll have to bring me some of the wheat!!!! Lol

 

[QuirkySue]

^ That is so cool. Most, or all actually, of the cashiers at my local feed stores look at me like I've completely lost my mind. It would be great to find a fellow chicken person.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

LeslieDJoyce, looked it up and there were a couple of threads on rye seeds. Yes, there are a bunch of different ones and some can be toxic as seeds and some as sprouts. Here is one of the links someone provided and it has sorghum on it too.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/smallflocks/feed_ingredients/grains.html#Rye

Here is a thread on BYC where someone is asking about rye grass:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/510064/will-chickens-eat-rye-grass

I did an emergency search and found those links yesterday ... great info.

I gather rye grains can give sticky poo which of course can lead to pasty butt in chicks, and it also interferes with the absorption of other nutrients so inhibits growth. According to one of the links above, rye grain isn't recommended as feed for layers until after chickens are fully mature, and even then might make poo stickier so make eggs dirtier, etc. Rye isn't recommended for meat birds (I would presume because meat birds are always growing).

Also ... the type of rye used for cereal grains can get some kind of smut which is toxic. I gather if you wash rye grains in a saltwater solution it gets rid of the smut, but I got my rye right off the combine so it wasn't washed before it arrived here. I haven't seen any evidence of the toxic type of smut in my grain and do wash it very thoroughly before soaking, then I do soak in bleach, so think for me the smut won't be a problem. I could add salt to my wash water, but as I don't know the exact procedure I might be wasting the salt ...

Another type of "rye", rye grass, is a common element in pasture grasses and it can also have some micro-toxins that sicken livestock if left to reach the seed stage, so I read some tips on pasture management to avoid this. I don't think this applies to my situation, but interesting info.

I did read some rye grass juicing (yet another type of rye, I believe) info for humans and that type of rye used in that way is supposedly very nutritious for humans and maybe even easier to tolerate than other types of juiced grass.

I am still looking for chicken nutrition info on sprouted rye grain or rye grain sprouted to the fodder stage. But as there are always some unsprouted grains in the fodder, I'm holding off feeding it for now. My flock is still young-ish (under a year old), and I have noticed some "dirty pants" on some of my girls. Guess I now know why.

I feel bad for my birds.

 

[Steemroo]

Dang that is cheap tor grain. In LA I can only find red wheat seeds in some grocery stores - dollar a Pound! I need to find a farmer coop or market - but we might not have one.

I have grown small batches of wheat grass in pots with soil . Very easy - no molding - very forgiving.

If you have problems - experiment with a light tray of soil. Heavy, yeah - but you can either let chickens eat from it or clip & try for second or more harvests from it, to extend seeds & save $.

Not sure if that'd work - may need sun or grow light to get more.

If you know of a cheap grain co-op in so cal, pls tell us! I also need to keep checking internet - who knows?

 

[Lacy Blues]

Well, I finally finished reading EVERY post and checking out EVERY link that everybody posted!

SONEW123 turned me on to this thread. Great information..can't wait to start this!!!

The problem is, now I want to raise meal worms, fathead minnows, start fermenting feed, and growing sprouts as well...HA! Off to read through the entire Fermenting Feed thread! Wish me luck.

I have found out that fathead minnows have an inhibitor in them so not a good choice. I'm looking to "mosquito fish" now or perhaps even Tilapia. Apparently they're easy to grow, vegetarians, and reproduce quickly. Family can eat the fish and give the "cleanings" to the chickies!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

YAY! My wheat berries are started to SPROUT!

 

[cyndiloowho]

Well, I finally finished reading EVERY post and checking out EVERY link that everybody posted!

SONEW123 turned me on to this thread. Great information..can't wait to start this!!!

The problem is, now I want to raise meal worms, fathead minnows, start fermenting feed, and growing sprouts as well...HA! Off to read through the entire Fermenting Feed thread! Wish me luck.

I can totally relate, my mealworms were shipped today and the fodder is in full swing.
Why start one project when you can start 3 or 4?

 

[corancher]

I got pans everywhere. I still don't have any that I have fed out but things are looking better. I got lots of green stuff now. I keep soaking and putting more into pans every day because if I ever get to the point where I can start feeding I don't want to start over from day one.

I have found it is just taking longer to grow than the 8 days and it likely is due to temps, however I have a small pan in the house and it seems to be doing the worse. I think I am just impatient after all it is just day 9 today. I think I should be able to feed in a couple of days and certainly by the weekend.

 

[Steemroo]

Dang, internet sites want stupid money for wheat berries - way more than my local Sprouts store - or Whole Paycheck.